Why So Many Are Not Succeeding? Are We Missing the Learning Disability?

1. Why So Many Are Not Succeeding?Are We Missing the Learning Disability? Glenn Young Learning Disabilities Consultant gyoungxlt@comcast.net glennyoungcsld.com

2. Success of Employment and Training Programs in the US Approximately 8 million persons a year obtain Employment and Training Services from USDOL programs • About 72% of adults are successful in employment training programs • About 65% of youths are successful in employment and training programs

3. Profile of the Population • Sixty percent of the 110 million workers in the United States lack any kind of postsecondary credential. • Almost one-third of American workers (31 percent) have only a high school diploma; • And 30 percent of high school students nationally who enter postsecondary education need some kind of remediation. http://www.lsc.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ezmkbodmv6gybapf3kvyif6dwpuxmu2vcn2pwjl3rso6cxj3z32aiug5cptnjvdgnscmgqz5smou3m/3088UpdateNewsletter3v212b.pdf

4. Without Education ….. • More than nine million working Americans—25 percent of whom work full time, year round—earn less than the official poverty level, and • More than 40 million Americans earn below 200 percent of the poverty level, a widely accepted proxy for a minimum family sustainable. • The longer one stays in a low-wage, low-skill job, the farther one falls behind other workers in whose skills and futures employers are more eager to invest (Andersson, Holzer, and Lane 2003). • http://www.jff.org/jff/PDFDocuments/nextchallenge.pdf

5. Workforce Issues Nearly all employers rejected at least some job applicants. Yet when these employers were asked the reasons behind most of the rejected production job applications, • Nearly one-third reported rejecting applications due to a lack of adequate reading and writing ability • One-fifth reported rejecting applicants with inadequate math skills. • Less than 8 percent of manufacturing employers, however, cited the lack of a degree or of vocational training as a reason for rejecting applicants. • http://www.heritage.org/Research/Labor/bg1774.cfm

6. Why a lack in Basic Skills? • There are too many potential reason to list why the skill level of students transitioning into employment are not adequate • However, one that is consistently missed is the issue of Learning Disabilities

7. Vocational Rehabilitation Services Administration - Definition VR defines LD as: • A specific learning disability is a disorder in one or more of the central nervous system processes involved in • perceiving, understanding, and/or using concepts through • verbal (spoken or written) language or non- verbal means.

8. Vocational Rehabilitation Services Administration - Definition VR defines LD as: • This disorder manifests itself with a deficit in one or more of the following areas: • attention, - reasoning, • processing, - memory, • communication, - reading, • writing, - spelling, • calculation, - coordination, • social competence, and • emotional maturity.

9. Part of the Problem - Traditional Paradigm of Adults with LD Hoffmann et al. (1987) describes the “typical learning disabled adult” subject in his studies as: • an unemployed, unmarried 23-year old white male • who had graduated from high school

10. Traditional Paradigm of Adults with LD (cont.) Hoffmann et al. (1987) describes the “typical learning disabled adult” subject in his studies as: • who had received some form of specialized education • who had previously been labeled learning disabled, and • who was being supported by his parents

11. Estimated Rates of Adults with LD Documentation • While schools are identifying about 5% with LD, • While the estimates run as high as 15-20% of adults with LD • While adult education and literacy programs have estimated ranges of 30-70% LD. • IT IS ESTMIATED THAT LESS THAN 1% OF ADULTS AND OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH, WITH LD, HAVE PROPER DOCUMENTATION.

12. Estimated Rates of Adults and Out of School Youth with LD Documentation • Who are these 99% of adults and Out of School Youth who have LD who do not have documentation? • Disproportional rates of women • Minority language populations • Low-literate adults (disproportional people of color) • Where do we find them? • Job training programs • Literacy/LEP programs • Prisons • Not in standard disability programs.

13. Estimated Rates of Adults with LD Documentation These “99% of those with LD” can not fit the standard disability process. • Under current law, persons with disabilities are responsible for self identifying and asking for accommodations. • Adult with LD either do not know they have a disability, or • No longer have current documentation (was documented in school)

14. Sub-Groups of Youth with LD 1) Have had a long-term identification with LD and have had a “positive experience” within the K-12 system and who can: • Who can advocate for themselves (explain the disability, etc), • Who understand their civil rights within the K-12 and in other settings • Who have the resources to provide assistive technology and other accommodations in all needed settings • Have needed documentation to prove the disability (or resources to get new documentation • Finished high school 2) Same as type (1), but exit without the documentation

15. Sub-Groups of Youth with LD 3) Have a long-term identification with LD, but had a ‘negative experience” in Special Ed, and chooses not to try and continue “status of having a disability” after graduation from school. • Most likely does not have documentation to maintain disability status, but it is not relevant, since they choose not to maintain the status. Looses status upon graduation. 4) Same as 3 but does not graduate. Looses status of a person with a disability upon exiting school.

16. Sub-Groups of Youth with LD 5) Those with LD who have • never been identified in K-12, • never received services and • Have virtually no understanding of disability rights or potential benefits, such as; • accommodations and assistive technology, And have been recently identified in some transition program (adult education, welfare, SCC, etc.) • Most of these transition programs lack the ability to conduct full scale diagnostics so the person can not truly be identified as a person with a disability due to lack of resources, but only “flagged as a person at risk.” • TANF is the one exception to this, and in many states has been working to identify welfare recipients. Currently, the Congress’ General Accounting Office (GAO) has issued three separate reports stating that the best estimates available are that 45% of remaining welfare recipients have an undiagnosed LD.

17. Sub-Groups of Youth with LD 6) Same as 5, but have not being identified within their “transition” systems and therefore, • remains as part of the “failing” populations, whose lack of success is being attributed to numerous issues, but not including to a potential issues of LD, or other disabilities.

18. Percentage Within Sub Groups of Youth with LD The percentages for each of the six sub-categories based on best estimates, if we look at the overall LD population, (both those identified and those not identified) the are: • Categories 1 and 2 – (identified and successful) Apx. 5%, perhaps as high as 10% • Categories 3 and 4 – (identified and unsuccessful) Apx. 25- 30% • Categories 5 and 6 - (out of school, previously and continuingly, not identified) Apx. 65%

19. New Paradigm on Make-up of Adults with LD. UNLIKE - Hoffmann et al. (1987) “typical learning disabled adult” we now see that adults with LD can be: • any age - and struggling with work, or education • of any color or race, with a greater chance for minorities based on poverty. • who HAS NOT graduated from high school

20. New Paradigm on Make-up of Adults with LD. (cont.) UNLIKE - Hoffmann et al. (1987) “typical learning disabled adult” we now see that adults with LD can be: • who HAS NOT received some form of specialized education • who HAS NOT previously been labeled learning disabled, and • who was on TANF, in job training programs of all kinds, at work, in college - etc.

21. THE THREE USES OF THE TERM LD LD - Learning Differences LD - Learning Difficulties LD - Learning Disabilities

22. Changing View of Disabilities and Workplace Current View Of Workforce Clients

23. Changing View of Disabilities and WorkplaceWhat Research Is Showing Target Populations of Workforce Boards

24. Changing View of Disabilities and Workplace – LEP and LD – What the Research is Showing What is the real percentage of overlap? Undiagnosed LD/LEP Population Learning Disabilities Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Research showing that perhaps as high as 25%

25. Employment failure Domestic violence Low literacy skills Mental health and depression Transportation Child care Poor work ethic Limited problem solving skills Lack of social skills AD/HD Learning disabilities Other disabilities Changing View of Disabilities and Workplace Traditional Factors for Work Failure

26. The LD affects employment… The LD affects the family… The LD affects literacy skills… The LD affects mental health and depression… The LD affects transportation… The LD affects child care… The LD affects workplace skills… The LD affects problem solving skills… The LD affects social skills… The LD affects AD/HD… The adult with LD has protections under the ADA. The LD affects other disabilities… Changing View of Disabilities and Workplace New Paradigm of Learning Disabilities Needed to Bring About Work Success

27. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector GeneralFunctional Impairments of AFDC Clients (1992) Recommendations: 1. States should develop mechanisms to assure appropriate identification, referral, and follow-up of clients with functional impairment. These mechanisms could include: • in-depth assessments with questions and features specifically targeted to functional impairments • training AFDC and JOBS workers to identify functional impairments, and • improved links with local programs with serve the functional impaired, particularly with regard to follow-up.

28. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector GeneralFunctional Impairments of AFDC Clients (1992) Recommendations: 2 The Administration for Children and Families should assist States and Local governments by publicizing effective practices for identifying, referring, and serving the functionally impaired. 3 The Administration for Children and Families should conduct research on the extent and nature of impairments and interventions

29. Critical Factors for Success of Persons with Disabilities • Self Awareness - understanding of having a disability. • Understanding of laws and protections under the laws and, • Accessing assistive technology and other accommodations. • Office of Disability and Employment Policy (ODEP) http://www.dol.gov/odep/

30. Critical Factors for Success of Persons with Disabilities • Most adults and older teens with Learning Disabilities are not self awareness - do not have an understanding that they have a disability. • Most adults and older teens with LD do not understand disability laws and protections offered under these laws, and • Most adults and older teens with LD are not able to access assistive technology and other accommodations.

31. The Operative Word in “Learning Disabilities is “Disabilities” • In order to understand Learning Disabilities we need to first understand disabilities

32. FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS FOR DISABILITY ISSUES • THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973/SECTION 504 • INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA 1990/97) (FORMERLY- PUBLIC LAW 94-142 • THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 • WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT OF 1998/SEC.188

33. Federal Definition of Disability for purpose of Civil Rights • A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual • A record of such an impairment • Being regarded as having such and impairment. ADA Regulations 1630.2 - Definition

34. Federal Definition of Physical or Mental Impairment • Any physiological disorder, or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary, memic and lymphatic, skin and endocrine, or • ADA Regulations 1630.2, Definition

35. Federal Definition of Physical or Mental Impairment • Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness and specific learning disabilities ADA Regulations 1630.2, Definition

36. Federal Definition of Major Life Activity Functions such as: caring for oneself performing manual tasks walking seeing hearing speaking breathing learning working ADA REGS 1630.2 DEFINITIONS

37. Federal Definition of “Substantially Limits: ADA Regs. 1630.2 Definitions 1) Unable to perform a major life activity that the average person in the general population can perform, or: 2) Significantly restricted as to the condition manner or duration under which an individual can perform a particular major live activities as compared to the conditions manner or duration under which the average person in the general population can perform that same major life activity

38. WITH RESPECT TO THE MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITY OF "WORKING" THE FEDERAL DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITS IS • Significantly restricted in the ability to perform either a class of jobs or a broad range of jobs in various classes as compared to the average person having comparable training skills and abilities. • The inability to perform a single particular job does not constitute a substantial limitation in the major life activity of working. • AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT REGULATIONS 1630.2 DEFINITION

39. Reasonable Accommodations • In Federal law "reasonable accommodations," is defined as meaning: modifications or adjustments . . . that enable a qualified individual with disability to perform the essential functions (of the job or activity).{ADA regulation. Section 1630.2(o)} • A qualified individual meansan individual with a disability who . . . with or without reasonable accommodations, can perform the essential functions (of the activity).{ADA regulation Section 1630.2(m)

40. Title II of the ADA …(2) The term qualified individual with a disability means an individual with a disability who, • with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, • meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity.

41. THE THREE USES OF THE TERM LD LD - Learning Differences LD - Learning Difficulties LD - Learning Disabilities

42. National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) (definition revised 1994) • “Learning disabilities” is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. • These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the life span...

43. National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) (Definition revised 1994) Although learning disabilities may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions • (for example: sensory impairments, mental retardation, or serious emotional disturbance) or with extrinsic influences (such as cultural differences, insufficient or inappropriate instruction), they are not the result of those conditions or influences.

44. Disability, not Teaching Failure • The definitions show learning disabilities to have a foundation of impairment in the central nervous system. • The academic (and social) failings are based on the impairment, not lack of access or opportunity

45. Every Child a Learner: Reducing Risks of Learning Impairment During Pregnancy and Infancy, Newman and Buka, 1990 • The causes of learning impairments are: 1) low birth-weight, 2) prenatal alcohol exposure, 3) maternal smoking, 4) prenatal exposure to drugs, 5) lead poisoning, 6) child abuse and neglect, and 7) malnutrition.

46. Some Known Causes • Genetic Defects Birth trauma Endocrine gland dysfunction Diet • Lead poisoning Oxygen deprivation • Accidents Toxins • Chronic illness (ear infections, etc.) • Early childhood high fevers • Pre-natal malnutrition • Maternal substance abuse • US Dept of Labor -1991

47. New evidence points to a link between environmental poisons and learning disabilities. Kids at Risk! Chemicals in the environment come under scrutiny as the number of childhood learning problems soars! June 19, 2000

48. Poverty and Learning Disabilities • “Living in poverty increases the likelihood of children having a learning disability by 30%.” (Children’s Defense Fund, “Wasting America’s Future” Sherman, 1995, p79).

49. Children’s Defense Fund, “Wasting America’s Future”1994 • 65.4% of households with a student with SLD have an annual income of less than $25,000 (specific learning disabilities) as compared with 38.8% for the student population in general. Martha Coutinho, “Secondary Education & Beyond”, (LDA, 1995)

50. TYPES OF LEARNING DISABILITIES (From “Steps to Independent Living” by Dale Brown) • ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES: • DYSLEXIA - INABILITY OR REDUCED ABILITY TO READ • DYSCALCULIA - INABILITY OR REDUCED ABILITY TO DO MATH • DYSGRAPHIA - INABILITY OR REDUUCED ABILITY TO WRITE